# 2021 FFA Cup final

The 2021 FFA Cup Final was the final match of the 2021 FFA Cup, Australia's main soccer cup competition. It was contested between Melbourne Victory and Central Coast Mariners on 5 February 2022 at the AAMI Park in Melbourne.
The 2021 final was the first since the 2019 FFA Cup Final, after the 2020 FFA Cup was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. Following the quarter-final win for Melbourne Victory against Adelaide United, the final would not feature Adelaide for the first time since 2016.
This was Mariners' first FFA Cup final, and their first final in any competition since their win in the 2013 A-League Grand Final. This was Victory's second FFA Cup final and the first since 2015, in which they were victorious.
The 2021 FFA Cup Final was the last final played under the FFA Cup name; from 2022, the competition will be known as the Australia Cup.

## Route to the final

| Melbourne Victory | Melbourne Victory | Round | Central Coast Mariners | Central Coast Mariners |
| Opponent | Result | | Opponent | Result |
| Perth Glory | 1–1 (A) (4–3 p) | A-League playoff round | | |
| Adelaide City | 1–0 (A) | Round of 32 | Blacktown City | 1–0 (A) |
| Gold Coast Knights | 2–1 (a.e.t.) (A) | Round of 16 | Wollongong Wolves | 2–1 (A) |
| Adelaide United | 2–1 (A) | Quarter-finals | APIA Leichhardt | 6–0 (A) |
| Wellington Phoenix | 4–1 (H) | Semi-finals | Sydney FC | 1–0 (A) |
| Note: In all results above, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away). |||||
Melbourne Victory, as an A-League team finishing in the bottom four in the 2020–21 A-League, entered into an A-League playoff round..
Meanwhile, Central Coast Mariners entered in the round of 32. Their first match was away to National Premier Leagues NSW side Blacktown City in Mudgee. The Mariners won 1–0 through a second-half goal to Béni Nkololo. In the next round they drew another NPL NSW side, Wollongong Wolves. They went behind early after goalkeeper Mark Birighitti conceded a penalty and was sent off for violent conduct, however, recovered to win 2–1 through second-half goals to Moresche and debutant Harry McCarthy. In the quarter-finals, the Mariners drew a third NPL NSW side, APIA Leichhardt, who upset A-League Men side Western Sydney Wanderers in the previous round. The Mariners won 6–0 at Leichhardt Stadium to advance to the semifinals. In the semifinals, the Mariners defeated Sydney FC 1–0 after Marco Ureña scored a second-half penalty.

## Pre-match
### Venue selection

The Final was originally intended to be at a neutral venue. However, on 27 January 2022, it was confirmed that the winner of the semi-final match between Central Coast Mariners and Melbourne Victory would host the final, subject to a random draw and the eventual participants. After winning the semi-final, Melbourne Victory was confirmed as the host.

## Match
### Details

| Melbourne Victory | Central Coast Mariners |
| GK | 20 | Ivan Kelava |
| RB | 2 | Jason Geria |
| CB | 17 | Brendan Hamill |
| CB | 5 | Matthew Spiranovic |
| LB | 3 | Jason Davidson |
| DM | 6 | Leigh Broxham |
| DM | 8 | Joshua Brillante (c) |
| AM | 22 | Jake Brimmer | | 90+2' |
| LW | 11 | Ben Folami | 72' | 74' |
| CF | 18 | Nicholas D'Agostino | | 75' |
| RW | 23 | Marco Rojas | | 82' |
| Substitutes: ||
| GK | 1 | Matt Acton |
| DF | 15 | Aaron Anderson |
| DF | 16 | Stefan Nigro |
| MF | 7 | Chris Ikonomidis | | 74' |
| MF | 13 | Birkan Kirdar | | 90+2' |
| FW | 9 | Francesco Margiotta | | 75' |
| FW | 24 | Nishan Velupillay | | 82' |
| Manager: ||
| Tony Popovic ||
| GK | 1 | Mark Birighitti |
| RB | 3 | Lewis Miller |
| CB | 23 | Dan Hall |
| CB | 14 | Kye Rowles |
| LB | 18 | Jacob Farrell |
| RM | 4 | Josh Nisbet | | 80' |
| CM | 34 | Harrison Steele | 69' | 73' |
| CM | 8 | Oliver Bozanic (c) |
| LM | 27 | Nicolai Müller | | 56' |
| CF | 12 | Marco Ureña |
| CF | 10 | Moresche | | 73' |
| Substitutes: ||
| GK | 30 | Patrick Beach |
| DF | 15 | Storm Roux |
| DF | 21 | Ruon Tongyik |
| MF | 7 | Cy Goddard | | 73' |
| MF | 11 | Béni Nkololo | | 56' |
| MF | 16 | Max Balard | | 73' |
| MF | 36 | Garang Kuol | | 80' |
| Manager: ||
| Nick Montgomery ||
| Mark Viduka Medal: Jake Brimmer (Melbourne Victory) Kye Rowles (Central Coast Mariners) Assistant referees: Kearney Robinson David Walsh Fourth official: Andrew Lindsay Additional assistant referees: Jonathan Barreiro Kurt Ams | Match rules: 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. Seven named substitutes, of which up to five may be used. |

### Statistics

| Statistics | Melbourne Victory | Central Coast Mariners |
| Goals scored | 2 | 1 |
| Total shots | 18 | 7 |
| Shots on target | 4 | 2 |
| Ball possession | 52% | 48% |
| Corner kicks | 11 | 2 |
| Fouls committed | 13 | 17 |
| Offsides | 1 | 2 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 1 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |